Top 6 Student Expenses When Studying in Australia

Australia is a global leader for education, and it continues to grow in popularity amongst international students who are planning to study abroad. The country hosts more than 600,000 students every year and owns some of the top universities in the world.

Studying abroad can be an expensive affair. If you are an International student who’s looking forward to studying in Australia, you need to plan your budget smartly to get your finances in order.

Before you depart from your home country, make sure to consider all the expenses including the study costs (tuition fees), accommodation, food, travel and health coverage. Here is a quick overview of what it costs to study and live in Australia.

1. Tuition Fees

The education cost in Australia may vary depending on the qualification type, university or school you choose to study. The average tuition fees for Australia’s tertiary institutions range between AUD $20,000 to AUD $30,000 annually.

As compared to engineering and medicine programs, courses in humanities and arts education are less expensive. If you apply for a postgraduate degree, the tuition fee is higher, and the cost depends on the program you choose.

Note: These are indicative figures and may change from course to course and university to university.

Most Australian universities provide on-campus accommodation facilities for international students, but you can also select from other options available like share apartments, homestay with a local Australian family, a guest house or a rental property.

The rental price may vary from city to city and is paid every two or four weeks in advance.

Types of Accommodation

Average Cost ($AUD)

Home Stay

$440 to $1,080 per month

Guest House

$320 to $540 per month

Student Halls of Residence

$320 to $1000 per month

Renting an Apartment

$1700 per month (avg. price)

3. Transportation Costs

Some universities in Australia provide private transport services that help on-campus students to travel around different places. Other than that, you can also rely on available public transportation in Australia.

In Australian cities, you can cover short distances with trams, ferries, trains or buses. A short distance ride in a bus may cost you around AUD $3. You can get a weekly or monthly pass that may cost you AUD $20 and $80 respectively. You can also benefit from student concessions available in all states.

For travelling around different cities, you can use rail, air or a long distance bus transport options.

If international students in Australia enrol in the ACTION programme, the Australian government offers them free transportation services.

4. Food Cost

You can get groceries from the local supermarkets which may cost you around AUD $100 to $200 per week. The most popular and cheapest supermarkets for grocery shopping are Woolworths, Aldi and Coles.

The average price for a meal in a low-cost restaurant is around AUD $18, while a three-course meal for two people may cost you around AUD $80.

Australia has a large number of Italian, Greek and Asian citizens. Hence, you can choose from numerous restaurants and taste different cuisines in Australia .

5. Other Living Expenses

When living in a different country as a student, it’s important to keep a little money aside for emergency situations and basic amenities such as the internet, phone or electricity. You need to consider various living expenses.

An international student should have a budget of around AUD $200 to $400 per week. While creating a budget, take into account the following expenses:

Communication Expenses: As an international student, you’ll be frequently calling your friends and family back home to stay in touch. It’s important to consider mobile data expenses and phone bills while staying abroad.

An estimated budget for phone calls is around AUD $150 for three months. Whereas, local calls may cost you around 30 to 40 cents. You can also look for student discounts and inexpensive calling plans to stay connected with your loved ones.

Books and Supplies: Buying textbooks for courses like law, medicine and engineering can get a little expensive. You can manage your budget by getting second-hand books, purchasing digital versions or securing a library membership.

Personal Expenses: Your personal expenses may include eating out, laundry, clothing, toiletries, etc. These expenses will entirely depend on the kind of lifestyle you choose for yourself.

6. Student Visa Costs

The current Student Visa (Subclass 500) fee is AUD $575. With a student visa, you can study in Australia for up to 5 years at a recognised higher education institution. To apply for an Australia student visas, you need to get yourself enrolled in a higher education course.

It also requires you to organise an adequate health cover, which needs to be valid for the duration of your stay. Your institution can provide you with more information on health insurance and the right health cover for you.

Now that you know how much it might cost to study in Australia, you can properly manage your finances and plan your budget accordingly.